A Favor
by Sararingo
Summary: Post-Destroy, Paragon!Femshep, Garrus LI. A friend Shepard hasn't seen in years comes to ask her a favor, but Shepard's been grounded due to medical reasons. Regardless, she refuses to sit this one out. Third chapter is up, feedback and reviews are appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

He knew as soon as he had gotten home that Shepard was angry with him. She always was whenever he got back from a mission.

Even though he knew, he still called through the spacious apartment, announcing his return. He casually placed his bag on the couch, leaving a trail of armor as he made his way through their home. Since her release from the hospital, Shepard had decided that she wasn't ready for the whole beach retirement plan just yet. No, she was already rearing to get back on a ship and back into the action. In the meantime, she'd said, they could stay at Anderson's old place. The familiarity did her well, and luckily it hadn't been completely destroyed in the final battle. It would be their home until she could get back to the _Normandy_.

If only her legs would cooperate with her.

He figured that was why she always got so quiet whenever he was asked to oversee a mission, and why she gave him the cold shoulder when he returned. She was tired of being cooped up in this apartment. It had once seemed so large, during their party close to two years ago. Now, he was sure it felt like a prison to her.

He found her up on the second floor, gazing out the window from the deck, leaning slightly on the railing. Her cane, the one she absolutely loathed using, rested beside her.

"Hey." he spoke, but she said nothing. He hadn't expected an answer. Now in his undersuit, he slid an arm around her waist. "How are you doing?"

She still didn't say anything, though she leaned her head into his shoulder, at least acknowledging his presence. Content with that at least he rested his chin on the top of her head, letting her continue to zone out until she was ready to speak with him.

There had been times where he'd thought she was going to break since they had gotten out of the hospital. The prognosis had been grim: Shepard would likely never have full use of her legs again. The Commander, however, had remained optimistic; she'd said that she'd surmounted the odds several times in the past, coming back from suicide missions at least once a day…and Garrus hadn't felt it right to argue. She was right, after all. She had gotten them all out of the Collector Base intact. She had united the quarians and the geth, the turians and the krogan, had saved the rachni from the brink of extinction _twice_…Commander Shepard would _never_ let some old leg injury keep her down.

She was excited for physical therapy at first. Garrus would help her, of course, though sometimes while he was away Chakwas or Traynor would come to help instead. She had struggled to move her legs properly, but she persevered through the pain. She was determined to see this through, to get back to her beloved ship and help keep the galaxy safe again. She had told him time and time again that she just wasn't fit for a peaceful life. As he thought about it, he really wasn't either, to be honest. They belonged out there together.

As the days dragged on to weeks and the weeks to months, Shepard's smiles had come fewer and further between. She had started muttering about wanting to skip physical therapy, though it only took a little bit of goading to get her to do it. She was always one to stick to routine.

One day, she just refused to come out of the bathroom.

"Shepard," Garrus had said quietly, standing on the other side of the door. "Come on. It'll be all right; you're making progress. We'll get through this, we always do."

She hadn't responded to him, and as he had stood outside the door waiting for her to exit, listening to muffled sobs and whimpers, he'd told himself he was just hearing things. Commander Shepard refused to cry, especially in front of others. He had only seen it once or twice, just after the Reapers and during her hospital stay. He never wanted to see it again. It cut him deeper than any bullet ever had.

Back in the present, Garrus looked down to Shepard to see that she was gazing up at him somberly. Her hair had grown out since she'd been grounded, and he wasn't sure if he liked it or not. On one hand, he loved running his talons through it- it just felt so _strange_ compared to fringes- but on the other…it didn't look like it suited her. She'd always kept it short and out of her face. At this length it was definitely a military hazard, and it made him realize just how much faith she had lost in ever recovering entirely.

"What is it?" he asked, mandibles flaring in a gentle smile as he moved his face a little closer to hers, pressing their foreheads together. She just shook her head, returning a tiny smile of her own as she hugged him.

"I missed you." she sighed, shutting her eyes as she reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck. He hummed appreciatively, pressing his mouth plates toward her lips. Kissing was not something turians did, but he'd grown quite accustomed to it with Shepard.

"I missed you too, Shepard." he rumbled, nuzzling against her cheek, and then lower, to her neck. He nipped her tentatively and she gave a quiet laugh; the sound of it brought warmth to his heart. It had been too long since he'd heard that. He was glad she was in good spirits today. He continued his bold actions, moving to face her entirely as his hands went to her backside, hoisting her up against his waist as he moved towards the back wall, against one of the paintings.

"Come on, Garrus, right on the art?" she chastised with a hint of amusement in her voice, and he just chuckled to himself as his hands slipped into her shirt, sliding over the delicate skin. She had several new scars that she hadn't had before London, but he didn't mind. She would always be beautiful to him.

He heard her moan sensually, and the sound made his blood boil in his veins. It had been too long since they had been intimate. One taloned hand began creeping up higher along her waist, over her ribcage…

Then the doorbell rang.

Garrus growled irritably, but Shepard set a hand on his cowl, murmuring something he didn't hear entirely. He tried to keep going, pressing his hips a little more eagerly towards hers and growling in his subharmonics, but Shepard pushed a little harder against him. "Garrus." she deadpanned in her 'Commander' tone, and he groaned with frustration as he gently set her down, mandibles tight to his face. He was visibly agitated and he knew she could tell; she gave him an apologetic look and gently brushed her hand against his arm.

"Once they leave, okay?" she murmured with a smile, leaning up and kissing his scar. "Go get dressed."

He sighed, moving past towards their bedroom as Shepard began hobbling towards her cane. He would have gotten it for her, but he knew she'd demand he let her do it. She didn't like being babied. She'd received a few nasty falls because of that pride, but she had insisted that she wasn't lame and she could handle it. Besides, if he started doting on her every beck and call, she'd get spoiled.

Shepard set one hand on the railing of the balcony, awkwardly bending over as much as she could, just barely grasping the top of the cane with her fingertips. After a few moments and another doorbell ring, she managed to pick it up. Garrus emerged from their bedroom in his casual dress, heading downstairs, not really caring about the armor that he had just discarded all over the living room. Shepard didn't seem to care either as she watched him go, hobbling towards the stairs to begin her several-minute-long descent.

Garrus typed into the console, the television screen lighting up. His eyebrow plates lifted in surprise as he saw their visitor.

"Samara?" he questioned, tapping a few buttons on the machine before the door flew open. The Justicar stood in the hallway, giving a proper smile as Garrus moved toward her welcomingly.

"It's good to see you, Garrus." she spoke demurely, and the turian wasn't entirely sure if he was supposed to hug her or shake her hand or what. It didn't seem to matter, though, as her eyes had already moved past him to Shepard, who was still working on getting down the stairs.

"Hey, Samara!" she called, grinning. Garrus watched the asari move past him, heading towards her prior commanding officer. Shepard was always at her best when the others from the _Normandy_ came to visit.

"Shepard." she greeted with a polite bow, waiting patiently at the base of the steps as Shepard made her way down, over halfway there. "It is good to see you. I apologize for not coming sooner. The duties of a Justicar are never quite finished, it seems."

Garrus let the door slide shut as he turned, heading back towards the two women, wondering why Samara had come. Sure, she and Shepard were friends, but he hadn't seen the asari since Shepard had been in her coma. Practically the whole crew had come to see her just to know that she was still alive, though by the time she had awoken, many of them had returned to help their home worlds. Though Liara, Tali, Wrex and pretty much all the others had come to visit since then, he hadn't heard anything about Samara. Her arrival was welcomed, of course, it just…seemed off.

"To what do I owe the visit?" Shepard asked, and the turian glanced to his lover, knowing she'd had the same thought as he. The asari was quiet for a moment, her gaze moving to the floor, and Garrus' stomach dropped to the floor. That was never good.

"…it is…painful for me to ask this of you, Shepard. Especially in your current state." Samara said pointedly, and he saw Shepard cringe as she finally got to the bottom floor. The Commander frowned, looking up to Samara questioningly, lips tight on her face.

"We're not about to embark on another crazy galaxy-saving mission, are we? I just got home from my last trip." Garrus interjected, arms crossed as he leaned against one of the support pillars of the apartment. His humor, however, was lost on the both of them. Damn. Something really was up.

"It's Falere." she said finally, and Shepard blinked, before her brow furrowed again in concern. "She is missing from the Monastery. When last I went to visit, she had all but vanished."

"What?" Shepard spoke incredulously, squinting her eyes at Samara as if she had just spoken without a translator. "Falere swore she would never leave. What reason would she have to go?"

"I do not know…and that is why I have come to you for help." Samara continued, lifting her light blue eyes to meet Shepard's. "I do not believe Falere would have left for an unworthy reason, but as I am bound to my Code, I cannot allow her to live should I see her away from the Monastery."

Garrus's mandibles flicked briefly, realizing now what the issue was. If Samara went after Falere herself, regardless of the younger asari's reasoning, the Justicar would kill her. Still…Garrus was more than a little irritated that she had thought asking Shepard would be the best thing to do. It was clear from Shepard's expression that she was genuinely worried for the asari Justicar and her daughter…but they both knew that she would practically be useless on the mission.

"I can help." Garrus offered, and Samara turned to look back at him, her expression puzzled. Garrus continued, though he already knew Shepard was going to resent him for it. "I've got my own small ship for recon missions and travel like this. The _Normandy_ has been drydocked for a little while and Shepard has been on medical leave since getting out of the hospital."

He could see Shepard's face going red with either embarrassment or indignation, but he kept his eyes firmly on Samara. "Do you have any information on where she may have gone?"

"Yes. I can forward you all the details to your omnitool." Samara said slowly, watching him pensively as she started back towards the front entrance. "I appreciate your assistance. Both of you." she added, nodding her head to Shepard. "It was good to see you both again, but I must be off. I will be in contact."

Almost as soon as she had arrived, she was gone. Right as the door slid shut behind her, Shepard exploded.

"What the hell, Garrus?" she demanded, turning to face him. He looked down towards her, letting her vent. "I was going to help her out, you didn't have to just jump in like that!"

"How were you going to help, Shepard?" he asked calmly, watching her as she scowled up at him. As much as he didn't want to, he felt he needed to do this. This was the most emotion she'd seen out of Shepard in a while…it would be good for her to feel again, even if it was anger at him. "You're on medical leave, your ship is grounded, your crew is dispersed across the galaxy…"

"I've done it before, haven't I?" she spat, now directly in front of him, staring resentfully into his eyes. Even though she was several inches shorter than he was, when her shoulders were squared and her jaw set like this, he couldn't help but feel intimidated by her. Nonetheless he wasn't about to back down. "You know the crew has my back! If I ask, they'll help if they can."

"What if they can't? It's been years, Shepard." he continued, uncrossing his arms and setting a hand on her shoulder, though she batted it away angrily. "Most of us have moved on. Jack has her students, Tali has Rannoch, Liara has her contacts, Kaidan has enough on his plate being a Spectre now and Wrex has a _family_. Everyone else has similar reasons. Not everyone can just up and drop everything anymore, Shepard. That's just not fair to them."

Shepard stared up at him, the fire burning in her eyes. "I can at least _try_."

"Then we're just going to pretend like your legs work like they used to?" he demanded before he could stop himself, and he knew immediately after the words had gotten out that he'd gone too far. The thought was reinforced as Shepard's expression darkened, and for a moment he thought she might strike him.

Instead, she turned around, beginning to limp away from him. He suddenly found himself wishing she actually _had_ hit him.

"Shepard, wait. I didn't-"

"You better get your armor back on if you're going out to play hero, Garrus." she snarled venomously, and Garrus watched her as she slowly stormed her way to one of the guest bedrooms in the back, like a wounded animal. His shoulders fell and he exhaled quietly, shutting his eyes. Listlessly, he turned to look at his armor sprawled along the living room floor. He had hoped to take a few days off before delving into his next mission…but maybe this was for the best after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for the favorites and reviews! This seems more popular than my other fics by a pretty wide margin so I'll continue posting chapters. This one is pretty much entirely fluff, but don't worry, there will be plot. **

**Feedback is always appreciated.**

* * *

He hadn't wanted to start a fight, but it seemed that he had single-handedly ruined Shepard's improving mood since the evening Samara had come to visit. He had mentally kicked himself about thirty times. It took so much to break Shepard out of her reveries. He was pretty sure by this point that her tether to the apartment was causing her to become clinically depressed, though Chakwas assured him that she just needed time to adjust. Still, it had been around two years since the last push in London; how much more would she need?

Garrus heaved a low sigh as he looked to his lover, who was sitting at the kitchen bar, gazing listlessly toward the far wall. She gripped a cup loosely in one hand, though he wasn't sure she had so much as taken a sip since she had poured it an hour ago. He was in the living room, checking his bags for the umpteenth time, trying to buy himself a few moments to decide on what to say to her. He hated leaving her alone like this. Maybe he could call Traynor, or look up where Joker has been and ask him to come talk to her. He'd been on leave from the military himself, refusing to fly anything but the _Normandy_. Though he had sent Christmas cards and the like, he and Shepard had been…out of contact. They were quiet around each other, as if they both knew that whatever had happened on the Citadel was what had shut EDI down permanently.

Garrus didn't really think Joker blamed her as much as Shepard blamed herself. The fear of communicating those painful feelings caused them both to just shut down around each other.

"Well, I should probably get going." he said finally, hoisting the bag up over one armored pauldron. Shepard didn't respond, and Garrus found himself just standing there, staring at her. Even just a few feet from her, he felt like she was miles away.

"Shepard." he said a bit more forcefully, and still, no acknowledgement. Both frustrated and disappointed, he tossed the bag back onto the sofa before making his way towards her, reaching down and setting a hand on her cheek, gently turning her face to look at him.

She suddenly snapped awake and she jerked heavily, nearly falling right off the stool. Garrus was there, grabbing her before she had the chance to hit the ground.

"It's me, it's me!" he said hurriedly, and she looked around the apartment, wide-eyed and gasping before she met his eyes.

"…oh…" she sighed with relief, lifting a hand and running it through her hair, frowning. "…sorry. I guess you're getting ready to head to out?" she murmured drowsily, her half-lidded eyes gazing up at him.

"Yeah, I was." he responded quietly, gently stroking her cheek with his talon. "I should be back soon, okay? I won't be long, I promise."

She didn't respond, just resting her hands against his chest. She rested her forehead against the hard steel of his armor, and he looked down to her in concern. He thought she might have been about to cry, but suddenly her voice, more even than he'd heard it in a long time, broke the silence of their apartment.

"I want to come with you."

Garrus' mandibles fluttered. Shepard had made this statement before when he was leaving, but he'd not heard her say it with such fervor. "Now, Shepard…" he began, already able to predict how this was going to go. She'd get angry about him telling her no, remind him that she was his Commander, he'd try to delicately dance around the subject of her injury until she practically forced him to say it to get her to stand down. He was starting to grow impatient with these arguments.

"I'm serious. No games, I want to come with you."

She moved back from his armor, her jaw set and her eyes focused.

"I'm ready to be myself again."

He hesitated, not really sure what she wanted to hear him say. He didn't want to reject her when she had that glint in her eye, that look that took him back to the _Normandy_. Back to Virmire, back to the Collector Base…back to London.

It was the Commander look.

"Shepard…" he began ruefully, but she had already left him, heading towards the stairs. He followed her, not sure what else to do. "You aren't fit for ground missions."

"I can hang back, snipe from afar. It's what I like to do, anyway. A tertiary squad member could take point while we hang back and pick off enemies one by one."

"We don't even know if we're going into a firefight."

She fixed him with a look that said 'when have we ever not gotten into a firefight?'.

"Look, I know you want to help Samara, but the Alliance military wants you to stay put-"

"Garrus, this isn't _for_ the Alliance. This isn't some drawn-out, potentially universe-ending threat. This is helping an old friend and making sure that her last remaining daughter is safe."

"Your…your hair, it's a hazard now-" he protested lamely, already knowing this was a lost battle. There was no stopping Shepard when she was like this. She was like a freighter blasting through the Terminus when she got this determined.

"I'll cut it."

"What about your shot? Are you still even able to shoot straight?"

She paused, turning to look at him, cocking an eyebrow. "Come on, Garrus, now you're just stretching for reasons to keep me down and out. Why don't you want me to go? I won't get in the way, and I need to get out of this apartment. I can't take sitting around anymore."

He looked up at her, her lithe form halfway up the stairs. Silence settled in on their apartment, and he found himself struggling to answer her.

"…I…" he began, and she looked down at him, her form graceful despite her cane and slightly hunched posture. Her eyes were still glimmering, but her expression was peaceful, understanding. It was that diplomatic air that she assumed whenever she needed information out of someone, or wanted to help as best she could.

His mandibles clicked tightly to his face, and he looked to the floor of their lonely apartment, his voice quiet. "…Shepard, when you're here in this apartment, I…I know you're safe. I hate being away from you, honestly I do, but I can't stand this. I thought you dead for two years and my world came crashing down. Then you came back, only to rush into a mission we _shouldn't_ have come back from. Once that was done, you get locked up for months until the Reapers come right to your doorstep and begin to obliterate Earth." She cringed visibly, but he persevered. "Then you made all these miracles happen. Things that no one even thought _possible_. You met the damned _Leviathan,_ which also could have definitely killed you. Then you had to rush off again, and we were both so _sure_ that time that you weren't coming back."

* * *

_"Normandy, do you copy? I need an evac, RIGHT NOW!"_

_Garrus could vaguely hear Joker's voice on the other end of the communicator, but his ears were ringing. Explosions were bursting around him, and all he could do was hold his talons to his side, putting as much pressure on the wound there as he could. Blue liquid was gushing from the injury and every limb burned with agony. Liara hurriedly placed her hand over his as well, trying to help stifle the loss of blood.  
_

_The turian's head rolled back as he saw the SR-2 descending, and he wondered absently just how reckless they were being, what with the Reaper being _right there_. Shepard forcefully wrapped his arm around her shoulders, uttering a "Come on!" as she hoisted him to his feet. Nausea rocked him and for a moment he thought he was going to be sick._

_Liara huddled along ahead of them, moving quickly towards the ramp, turning only as Shepard called for her. _

_"Here. Take him."_

_Those words caused Garrus to raise his head in alarm. No. No, this was not how this was going to end. Not like this. He jerked to the side weakly as Shepard handed him over to the asari, turning to look back at her._

_"Shepard…" he uttered, eyes wide, disbelieving. She had always taken him on her ground missions. The third member of their team changed depending on the situation, but she didn't count on anyone else covering her six but him.  
_

_"You gotta get out of here." she demanded, her knit brow giving away the fear she was feeling. He had known her too long for her to hide anything from him._

_"And you've gotta be kidding me." he almost snarled, looking at her incredulously. Did she really think he was just going to lay down and let her run off by herself? There was no Shepard without Vakarian, she'd said it herself._

_"Don't argue, Garrus." she returned, her eyebrows lowering even more. _

_"We're in this 'til the end!" he protested further, jerking more towards her, though Liara had more strength than he at this point. She was able to easily hold him back._

_Shepard's expression flickered- just the briefest window showing him just how much his words had impacted her._

_"No matter what happens here…" she began, ascending her way up the ramp, her voice wet with emotion. He could hear the delicate cracks in her tone. "…you know I love you." she whispered. "I always will."_

_She placed her hand to his face, her thumb delicately stroking along his scarred faceplate. He found himself at a loss, staring longingly into her eyes. For that one somber moment, there was no one else. No Liara, no _Normandy_, no Reapers, nothing. It was just Shepard and him, in what would almost certainly be their final meeting._

_He found it hard to speak, his tongue swollen in his mouth, his words thick on his breath. "Shepard, I…" he barely rasped, bringing one hand up and setting it on her own, holding it lovingly. He could see the tears shimmering in her eyes. Just as her hand began falling away, he found his voice again. "…love you too."_

_She smiled. It wasn't a smile of confidence, or one she gave her friends. It wasn't a Commander smile, it was Shepard's smile. Loving adulation. A single tear streaked down her cheek, and he found himself reaching out to her, desperate for her not to go. He wanted to cry out, beg her not to leave or at least bring him along to die with her, but he couldn't speak._

_She got down to the end of the ramp, looking back at the Reaper towering overhead, her short hair flying around her wildly. She turned back to him, and Shepard was gone; the Commander was back. But it was still her. It was still _her_._

_"GO!" she shouted, pointing assertively at the Normandy as she backed up, giving them both one final look before she turned. He watched, useless, hand falling to his side._

_He was certain, as he watched her go, that she was running out of his life forever._

* * *

As he returned to the present, he realized that he had made his way up the steps himself, both hands on her cheeks. He pressed his forehead down to hers, shutting his eyes.

"I just…I love you so much, Shepard. I never told you that enough. I thought I would regret it for the rest of my life. Yet somehow, thank the spirits, you made it through. You _lived_, Shepard, despite your injuries. Even if you never get your legs completely back, no one expected you to come out of their _alive!_"

She looked up to him tenderly, raising a hand to his scarred mandible, tenderly caressing his face plate with her thumb.

"I know that you belong out there. You never really belonged anywhere else but on the _Normandy_. But…damn, I had just hoped that maybe you would get used to it. Maybe you would decide settling down really was right for us, and one day we'd both just die old and gray, on our own terms. Not for the good of the galaxy."

"Garrus…" she whispered, her breath hot on his face, and he pressed down towards her, eyes closing. She returned the kiss, wrapping her arms up around his neck, and he held her like that for a long time.

She pulled away first, offering him a half-smile as she rubbed along his cowl.

"It's not like I'm easy to kill, Vakarian. You said it yourself, I keep coming out alive. This favor to Samara probably isn't going to end in a war. It'll be fine. Besides, I can't have you getting your ass kicked out there without me around."

He chuckled, mandibles fluttering as he rubbed down her back. "I was doing just fine without you there bossing me around, Commander."

She grinned as he picked her up, nibbling on her neck. Breaking into laughter, she tilted her head back, hair spilling over her face and shoulders as he rushed them up the stairs. After all, she hadn't fulfilled her promise from the other day yet…


	3. Chapter 3

"I still don't think this is a good idea."

Shepard turned, giving Garrus a frown as she pulled on her undersuit. Her hair, freshly cut, rested in a short bob around the base of her skull and chin. As much as he had hoped she would have let the idea go after their night together and some sleep, she had been just as belligerent in the morning to follow through this mission. Shepard rubbed absently at her legs, the chafed skin tender beneath her clothing.

"Come on, Garrus. I'll be fine." she assured him, walking carefully toward their closet, opening the container that held all her armor. After London, she had complained to Hackett about the damage that had been done to her suit, and through a little bit of string pulling he got her a new set. Not that it mattered, considering she had been on medical, but Shepard was still reassured by the fact that she had some capable armor always within range. Now, it was going to come in handy. She removed the breastplate from the drawer, and Garrus just watched from the bed, still having not clothed himself.

"Shepard…you aren't fit for combat. You and I both know that." he spoke tenderly, but she didn't seem to bristle like she used to at the idea. Probably because they both knew that, like it or not, she _was_ going.

"It'll be alright. I just won't take point anymore. Besides, the braces in the armor may help me move faster. Who knows." she responded flippantly, pulling on her gauntlets before moving on to her boots. Garrus' subharmonics hummed, but she chose not to look at him as he got out of bed, heading to pull on his own armor as well.

Finally, with her gear all assembled, she shut the armor drawer and opened the one just beneath it. Inside rested two sniper rifles- his Widow and her Mantis- as well as some assault rifles and basic pistols. Shepard didn't use anything else. She pulled out her Mantis, smiling fondly at the rifle. Even when Garrus had tried to goad her into getting a Widow, she had refused. She could anticipate her shots better with the Mantis. It was just more comfortable, not to mention the recoil wasn't anywhere near as painful.

Putting it in place on her back, she pulled out her Lancer, unable to stop the grin splitting her face as she ran her fingers over the side of it. Some people might call it an ancient piece of machinery, but this good old thing had been with her since the attack on Eden Prime. Shepard had been sure it had blown up in the Collector attack, but somehow, Liara had managed to grab it on her way to the escape pods. The asari obviously knew how much the old weapon meant to her. She appreciated its lack of thermal clip usage, giving her the ability to save them for her other weapons. She patted it before placing it alongside her Mantis.

Finally, she pulled out the ever trustworthy Predator, putting it to her hip. As she rose to a standing position, she turned to eye Garrus, who had just finished with his armor.

"I'll go on ahead." she told him calmly as she tested her first few steps in her armor. Her legs were reinforced, that was for sure, and she could walk with little problem. Running, though…that was a different story entirely.

As she headed downstairs, she took a moment to head to her office, keeping her steps careful and deliberate. She tapped her terminal briefly, narrowing her eyes as she concentrated on the small text on the screen. She didn't want to sit, in case her legs refused to help her back up, not to mention Garrus would be ready any moment.

She had sent out some messages to her old contacts last night while Garrus had been sleeping, hoping that some of them would be willing to join in on the fun. She'd also left Admiral Hackett a message, asking to speak with him over the _Normandy_'s dock. He still hadn't responded- he was a busy man, after all- but she had a handful of mail from others.

She frowned.

Rejection after rejection after rejection. Liara was extremely apologetic, but she was dealing with some business on Illium that required her full attention. The asari had also politely reminded her that she was on medical leave and shouldn't be going anywhere. Jack wasn't interested, talking about how she was out in Terminus space with some of her kids taking care of some shit from the Alliance. Jacob had his hands full with his toddler. Wrex had his hands full with _several_ toddlers, though he did tack on that she was getting too old for this sort of thing. She found that ironic, coming from him. Kaidan was dealing with major Spectre business; James with N7 missions.

With each email letting her know why the recipient couldn't come- and sometimes why _she_ shouldn't even be checking out the problem with her injury- Shepard's heart sank more and more. She had hoped desperately that her people would come back, and they could all embark on an adventure again. Yet it seemed everyone had moved on from "the glory days".

Maybe she really was stuck in the past. Maybe she should put her armor and guns back up, apologize to Garrus for her bull-headed behavior and go back to being prisoner in her own home.

But then, as she opened the email from Tali, her eyes lit up. Tali, the ever-faithful quarian that she was, had accepted the venture. A warm smile crossed Shepard's face, sending a response mentioning that they'd be more than willing to go pick her up on Rannoch. As she continued browsing her messages, she received a few more accepting responses. Kasumi, Javik, Zaeed, Miranda, Grunt, and Dr. Chakwas had all also agreed to join in on the mission, most of them as a favor to Shepard. As she eyed the last email, the one from Joker, she hesitated.

"Shepard? Everything all right?"

She looked up, realizing that she had taken a seat without really meaning to. Garrus was standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall and watching her. It seemed he'd been waiting there for a while.

"Oh, I, uh…I thought I'd ask the others if they wanted to come. Most of them are busy." her fingers hovered delicately over the keys, still arguing with herself whether or not she should open Joker's message.

"Any exceptions?" Garrus rumbled.

"Tali, of course." she heard Garrus chuckle. The three of them never could get rid of each other, it seemed. "Dr. Chakwas offered to join us, too. Grunt, Javik, Miranda, Zaeed and Kasumi all offered their services." With Samara along as well, they'd have a pretty good group, she thought.

He didn't say anything, watching her as she continued to stare at the screen.

"…I don't know that I want to see how Joker responded." she finally admitted, and she didn't look at him as he made his way to her side, setting a hand on her shoulder.

"Probably with some snappy comment about how he's getting too old for this or something." Garrus shrugged as she took in a slow breath, finally opening the message.

_I don't think I'm ready to fly anything other than the Normandy yet, Shepard._

_Sorry._

_-Jeff_

She stared at the email for a few moments before heaving a muted sigh. Her gaze flickered towards Garrus, giving him a half-hearted smile.

"He's not interested."

He squeezed her shoulder before offering a hand to help her stand. She took it graciously, heaving herself back up onto her feet.

"Guess we should get going. Are we picking the others up?" he asked, and Shepard was appreciative of the change in subject. The Commander brushed some of her hair out of her face, heading for the door, her lover just behind her.

"Dr. Chakwas, Kasumi and Zaeed are all here on the Citadel, so they'll probably meet us at the docking bay. Tali's on Rannoch, Grunt's on Tuchanka and Miranda said she'd meet up with us once we got to Thessia. Samara too." she added.

Garrus nodded briefly as he followed Shepard out the door, the pair stepping into the elevator. He side-glanced to her, noticing the nervous twitching in her fingers. They both knew what was awaiting them in the lower levels of the Citadel.

Reporters, and a lot of them.

He set one hand on her arm, bracing her. "We'll make a straight line for the docks. Just don't answer any questions and keep moving."

She swallowed once, shutting her eyes before reopening as the doors slid open. For the first few seconds, as they stepped out into the bay, she thought they might be in the clear.

Suddenly, flashing lights burst all around her, blinding her. Voices were calling for her, trying to get her attention. Garrus still had her by the arm, practically dragging her through the throng of people in-between them and his ship. She felt like she was choking. There were too many people. Too many people grabbing at her, yelling for her, like they needed something. The lights were too much. She shielded her face with her arm as best she could.

"Commander Shepard, Commander Shepard! Are you going out on a mission? Have you been taken off medical leave?"

"Shepard, Shepard, hey Shepard, what do you have to say about the recent cuts to Alliance military budgeting?"

"Commander Shepard, can I get a report on your relationship with Mr. Vakarian?"

"How much has your leg injury improved in the past few years, Commander Shepard?"

It was overwhelming. She felt completely ill to her stomach as she squeezed her eyes shut, grateful that Garrus wasn't stopping for anything. She heard the familiar swish of airlock doors behind her, and as she tentatively opened her eyes, she realized that they had made it.

"Are you all right?" Garrus murmured, subharmonics tinged with worry as he set one hand on her cheek. "You're sweating."

She nodded briefly, setting one hand on his before moving past him. "So what do you call this ship?" she asked, glancing back at him. "And does it have a crew?"

"Of course it does, Shepard. I've already let those necessary know that we're heading out on a mission. Everything should be taken care of."

She nodded, seemingly approving of this. "So, do you have your own captain's quarters?" she asked with a well-meaning smirk, shifting her bag on her shoulder. His mandibles flared out in a grin.

"Yeah. Nowhere near as fancy as the one on the _Normandy_, though." he said as the airlock to the ship opened. Immediately the Commander noticed how much smaller it was compared to her own pride and joy. "Elevator's this way." She stepped out, eying the galaxy map in the middle of the room as she headed down the hallway, following her lover.

She was happy to note that the elevator ride up was at least faster than the one's on the Citadel. As the door opened she stepped through, glancing around with a frown. "No fish? No space hamster? Come on, Garrus, live a little."

He snorted as he followed her through, tossing his bag on the bed while she sat hers down near his desk. "You could have brought the little fuzzball, if you wanted."

"Nah, Traynor said she'd take good care of Boo and all the fish while we're out." she responded with a shrug, stepping over to his bed and reclining back, sighing. They'd hardly gone far from their apartment to the ship, but she felt exhausted already. And after all that work putting on her armor...

"I'm going to head back down, run some stuff over with the crew and make sure we've got everyone on board. We'll be headed for Rannoch first, then Tuchanka. If you want to take a nap until we arrive, the bed's all yours." the turian offered, rolling a shoulder as he watched her. She opened her eyes, peering up at him, opening her mouth to speak…before promptly shutting it.

She wasn't in charge, here. This wasn't her gig. This wasn't her ship.

She forced a smile, nodding briefly. "Yeah, alright. I might head down in a bit, talk to Zaeed and the others."

Her lover nodded briefly before turning, the door sliding shut behind him. She watched him go before sighing quietly, looking up at the stars outside the window. She drifted to sleep with the thoughts of her beautiful ship in mind, and the glory days that felt so long ago.


End file.
